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When We Were Very Young

Illustrated by Ernest H. Shepard

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About The Book

With a gorgeously redesigned cover and the original black and white interior illustrations by Ernest Shepard, this beautiful edition of the beloved classic poetry collection When We Were Very Young by A. A. Milne is sure to delight new and old fans alike!

Before there was Winnie-the-Pooh, there was Mr. Edward Bear, a rotund teddy bear who was proud of his stature. Meet him and many other lovable characters in this verse collection that launched A. A. Milne’s career as a children’s author and led to the creation of his novels about Winnie-the-Pooh and Christopher Robin.

Full of whimsy, humor, and imagination, these children’s poems tell of visits to the zoo and Buckingham Palace, the romance between Little Bo Peep and Little Boy Blue, the shenanigans of peculiar characters, quiet afternoons in nature, and more.

Excerpt

Corner-of-the-Street

 

  Down by the corner of the street,

 

  Where the three roads meet,

 

  And the feet

 

  Of the people as they pass go “Tweet-tweet-tweet—”

 

  Who comes tripping round the corner of the street?

 

  One pair of shoes which are Nurse’s;

 

  One pair of slippers which are Percy’s…

 

  Tweet! Tweet! Tweet!

 

   

 

Buckingham Palace

 

  They’re changing guard at Buckingham Palace—

 

  Christopher Robin went down with Alice.

 

  Alice is marrying one of the guard.

 

  “A soldier’s life is terrible hard,”

 

  Says Alice.

 

   

  They’re changing guard at Buckingham Palace—

 

  Christopher Robin went down with Alice.

 

  We saw a guard in a sentry box.

 

  “One of the sergeants looks after their socks,”

 

  Says Alice.

 

  They’re changing guard at Buckingham Palace—

 

  Christopher Robin went down with Alice.

 

  We looked for the king, but he never came.

 

  “Well, God take care of him, all the same,”

 

  Says Alice.

 

  They’re changing guard at Buckingham Palace—

 

  Christopher Robin went down with Alice.

 

  They’ve great big parties inside the grounds.

 

  “I wouldn’t be king for a hundred pounds,”

 

  Says Alice.

 

  They’re changing guard at Buckingham Palace—

 

  Christopher Robin went down with Alice.

 

  A face looked out, but it wasn’t the king’s.

 

  “He’s much too busy a-signing things,”

 

  Says Alice.

 

  They’re changing guard at Buckingham Palace—

 

  Christopher Robin went down with Alice.

 

  “Do you think the king knows all about me?”

 

  “Sure to, dear, but it’s time for tea,”

 

  Says Alice.

 

   

 

   

 Happiness

 

   

  John had

 

  Great big

 

  Waterproof

 

  Boots on;

 

  John had a

 

  Great big

 

  Waterproof

 

  Hat;

 

  John had a

 

  Great big

 

  Waterproof

 

  Mackintosh*—

 

  And that

 

  (Said John)

 

  Is

 

  That.

 

   

   

  * Raincoat

 

About The Author

A. A. Milne (1882–1956) was an English playwright, poet, and author. He served in both World Wars, but in peacetime devoted himself to writing. He is best known for his Winnie-the-Pooh books, which were inspired by his son, Christopher Robin Milne.

About The Illustrator

Ernest Shepard (1879–1976) was an English painter and book illustrator. Encouraged by his parents to pursue art, he attended the Royal Academy Schools and began his career illustrating for Punch magazine. During the First World War, he aided the Intelligence Department by sketching combat areas, and he was later awarded the Military Cross for his service with the Royal Artillery. In addition to his work as an artist, Shepard wrote two autobiographies and two novels for children. He is best remembered for his anthropomorphic animal illustrations in The Wind and the Willows and the Winnie-the-Pooh series.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Aladdin (August 6, 2024)
  • Length: 128 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781665947749
  • Grades: 1 and up
  • Ages: 6 - 99

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More books in this series: The Winnie-the-Pooh Collection